Automatic railroad-signal



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'. J. W. RICHARDSON. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SIGNAL.

2,285. v Patented May 12, 1891.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. RICHARDSON AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SIGNAL.

No. 452,285. Patented May 12, 1891.

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J. W. RICHARDSON. AUTOMATIG RAILROAD SIGNAL.

atented May 12, 1891.

n1: NDRR s PETERS co Pnwo- 4 I UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

JOI'IN IV. RICHARDSON, OF MARION, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,285, dated May 12, 1891.

pp n filed ne 4,1890. Serial No. 354,277. (No model.)

denoting the approach of trains, and is adapted for use upon either double or single tracks.

The objects of the invention are to provide an extremely simple signal adapted to be located at a crossing and to be operated by the wheels of the locomotive so as to show the signal previous to the arrival of a train and to return said signal when the train shall have passed.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective or general view of a track and crossing, a railroad-signal constructed in accordance with my invention being located at the side of the track, together with mechanism for operating said signal. Fig.2 is a plan of the signal and the mechanism at one side of the crossing for operating the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation of the releasing mechanism. Fig. et is adetail in side elevation of the setting mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation of the locking and unlocking latch, the same being applied in position. Fig. 6 are details in perspective of the component parts of the setting-tread. Fig. 7 isa detail in perspective of a guide employed for the operating-wires when the crossing is located at a curve in the track. Fig. 8 is a plan of a double track, illustrating the manner of applying my invention there to. Fig.9 is a side elevation, partly in perspective, of a modification. Fig. 10 is a partial side elevation and perspective of amodification.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

ldesignates the rails of a section of the trackin this instance a single track located at a crossing, said rails being supported by the usual cross-ties 2. At one side of the track there is set in the ground and suitably braced a verticalpost 3, provided at its upper end with an inclined hood or housing 4, which projects toward the crossing. A pair of brackets 5 are bolted to the sides of the post and project above and beyond the upper rear end thereof, and in said brackets there is pivoted, as at 6, a signal-board 7, bearing the word Danger in plain letters. A shaft 8 passes through the post and through a recess or opening 9, formed therein, and at the side of the same is located an alarm-bell 10. ithin the opening upon the shaft there is mounted for rotation a gear-wheel 11, which operates the shaft, which latter is provided with a hammer, and said gear-Wheelis in turn engaged and operated bya rack-bar 12, mounted in keepers 13, secured to the face of the post 3, and connected by a link 14 to the danger-signal 7, so that at each movement of the signalavertical movement is imparted to the rack-bar, the gear-wheel, and the hammer-shaft, which causes a ringing of the bell 10. Secured to the rear face of the post 3 is a bowed spring 15, the upper free end of which rests against the under side of the signal, which it will be observed is extended in rear of its pivot and serves to press the rear end of the signal upwardly, and consequently the front end downwardly when said signal is not otherwise influenced.

16 designates a pair of supension-bars which are pivoted, as at 17, to the rear ends of the signal, and, as at 18, to a pair of links 19, the inner ends of the links being connected pivotally to the post 3. An eyebolt 2O depends from the pivot 18, and connected with said bolt is a light coiled spring 21, the lower terminal of which engages the eye of an eyebolt 22. The lower end of the bolt being threaded and connected to a threaded swivel 23 by a turnbuckle 24, adapted to shorten or lengthen the connection, as will be apparent. In bearings 25, one of which is located upon a cross-tie at the rear side of the post 3, and the other of which upon a suitable support (in this instance a block 26) there is loosely journaled a rock-shaft 27, the outer end of which, beyond its bearing, is bent to form a rock-arm 28, the extremity of the rock-arm being bifurcated, as at 29, and to said rockarm is loosely pivoted, as at 3t),thclowere1nl of the swivel 23.

31 designates acu rvedguide-bracket, bolted to the post 3, and embracing the same is the bifurcated extremity 29 of the rock-arm 28. A latch 32 is pivoted, as at 33, at one side of the guide, and said guide has a lower extension or arm 3%, between which and the tail of the latch is interposed a coiled spring 35, which normally presses the engaging or upper end of the latch inwardly or toward the bracket, and is adapted to engage the free end of the rock-arm 28, when said arm is depressed into a plane with the engaging shoulder of the latch. The opposite or inner end of the rock-shaft 27 is provided with a rightangularly disposed and a longitudinally-slotted rock-arm 36, said slot receiving a guidepin 37, mounted upon the outer face of the releasing tread 38, which tread is pivoted, as at 39, in a bracket 40, secured to a cross-tie. The free end of the tread is provided with a pin 41, which limits the upward movement of the tread by coming in contact with an inverted-L- shaped stop, located upon one of the adjacent ties.

At a distance from each side of the crossing upon the end of a tie there is located a bracket 43, provided at its upper end with a hearing it, and in said bracket is journaled the bearing-lug 45, formed upon the outer face of an inverted-L-shaped or bell-crank lever t6. The bell-crank lever t6 terminates at its upper advanced end in a catch or engaging shoulder ti, which shoulder is engaged by the shoulder 48, formed at the upper extremity of a U-shaped spring-latch t9, the rear portion of the latch having a securing-plate bolted to the tie. (See Fig. 6.) I11 rear of its extremity the bell-crank is provided with a downwardly-curved slot 51, in which rides a guide-pin 52, formed upon the outer face of a tread or plate 53, of oblong shape and having a curved tread portion. In rear of the pin the tread has a slot 54, ex= tending longitudinally with the tread and designed to receive a guide lug orpin 55, formed upon the inner face of the bell-crank 46, and which may be a continuation, though somewhat larger than the bearing lug or pin t5 thereof. Under the hearing-bracket i3 is located a larger bearing-bracket 56, each of the bearing-brackets having bolt-openings 57, by which they are connected to the tie by a common securi ng device. The securing-plate of the bracket 56 is longer than that of the bracket 43, so that the perforated car 58 of the former-plate extends to the inner side of the tread 53, and in the perforation or opening in said bracket takes the bearinglug upon the inner side of the bell-crank. As before stated, one of these bell crank treads is connected to a cross-tie at each side of the roadway or crossing, and I will now proceed to describe the means of connection between the danger-signal and the setting mechanism or treads.

Connected to an eye 5.), formed upon the rear face of the U-shapcd spring-latch it) is a wire (50, which, as shown best in big. 2, passes through suitable guides 61 and under pulleys G2 and connects with the upper one of a pair of rock-arms 03*, rigid upon the rock-shaft 27, between its bearings. The wire of one tread connects with the lower one of said rock-arms, while the corresponding wire of the opposite tread is connected to the upper one of said rock-arms, so that a movement of the rock-arms will operate the wires in the same direction.

63 designates the releasing-wire, one of which is connected to the lower ends of each of the bell-cranks through the medium of a coiled spring 64, so that the connection is made yielding. The wires 63 run to a block 65, located between the post 3 and the trackrail, and pass around pivoted segments 06, secured to the block, the peripheries of the segments being grooved, as shown, to receive the wires. After passing around the segments the wires connect with an eye (37, formed upon the rear side of a locking-latch 32, previously described.

It will be observed that by reason of the. peculiar construction of the treads 53 and. their supporting bell-cranks 46, a train conting toward the crossing will force the treads. 53 forward and down. In other words, theguide-pin 52 of the treads will be forcedito, the upper ends of the rearwardly-curvedaslots 51, so that when the treads are depressed thebell-cran ks will be operated. Whe-n, however,-. a train approaches a tread from. the crossing,. the tread is forced to the rear,,and the guidepin 52 travels down the inclined curved. slot 51, so as to be below the surface of the-rail, and does not in any way inl'lguence or-o pe'rate the bellerank. For the purpose of returnin g the tread to position after such a depression as just deseribed,1 provide a bow-spring 68, secured under the brackets 43 and 5G, and having its upper free end bent and passed through a perforation or eye U9 formed in the end of the pin 52.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Taking the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the tread. has been depressed, which operation draws. upon the wire (33 and draws the latch 32 out. wardly, so as to release the rock-arm 28, whieh.-, as before stated, permits the danger-sigia al to drop. hen depressed the bell-crank takes under the shoulder 48 of the spring-latch 49, and is thus retained while the remaining wheels of the train pass over the tread. After the train has passed over the tread 53 and the danger-signal has been. closed it approaches the releasing-tread 3'3 and causes a depression of the same and a rocking of the rock-shaft 27 which depresses the rock-arm 28 until the bifurcated end of the same is reengaged by the spring-latch 32, and during the depression of the rock-arm the dangersignal isielevated, so as to take within the;

housing 4. During the raising and lowering of the signal, it will be observed that the alarm-bell, as heretofore described, has been sounded; When the tread 38 is depressed and the rock-shaft 27 oscillated or rocked, so also are the rock-arms 63* rocked and draw upon the wires 60, which retract the springlatches 49, so that their shoulders are withdraWn-from'over the engaging end of the bellcrank, which latter with the treads resume their former position, and are ready for the Such a bracket is especially adapted for guiding the wires 63 and around curves.

. In Fig. 8 I have illustrated how my invention may be applied to a double track. In this figure, 1, as before, designates the trackrails. The inner rail of one track and the outer rail of the other are provided with the setting-tread mechanisms heretofore described. In this instance a crank-shaft 73 extends from the rail of one tracknamely,

the outer rail-to the inner rail of the opposite track and has its end upturned to form a slotted crank-arm 74, in which is mounted a guide-pin '75, formed upon the inner side of a releasing-tread 76, which tread is, as heretofore described, pivoted in a bracket 77. In the present instance the pin takes into the slotted arm at only one end of the rock-shaft, the opposite end of said rock-shaft being upwardly bent, as at 78, to form a rock-arm and connected by a link 79 to the free end of the tread. rock-shaft 27 in the same manner as described with reference to Fig. 1, and said rock-shaft has the rock-arm 28, having a bifurcated end 29, embracing the guidebracket 31 and adapted for engagement by the spring-latch 32. In this instance one of the rock-arms 63* is located upon the rock-shaft 73 and one upon the rock-shaft 27, and to the same are connected the wires 60 for releasing the tread. The wires 63 for operating the signal pass around the segments 66 in the same manner; but said segments are separated, one located between the post 3 and one of the tracks and the opposite adjacent to the opposite track, as shown. The operation is exactly similar to the one described, the only difference being- Referring to Fig.9, it will be observed that The pin 75 therefore takes into the I employ the same mechanism as in Fig. 1,

and the only change is that the wires 63 and 60 in front of each tread merge into a single wire 80. This single wire is continued until nearly opposite the rock-arms 63*, when it branches, as shown at 81. 82, one branch 81 passing around the segments 66 to the latch 32 and the other branch passing over or under, as the case may be, and connected to one of the rockarms 63*.

Referring to Fig. 10, it will be observed that the only changes are in the construction of the spring-latches 49 and in the sectors 66. In lieu of the spring-latch 49, I employ an inverted-U-shaped bracket 89, in which is mounted for reciprocation a bolt 90, around which is coiled a spring 91 for throwing the bolt into the path of the bell-crank 4.6. The wire 60 leads from this bolt in the same manner, as before described, with relation to the U-shaped latch 49. In lieu of the sectors I employ a Y-shaped lever 92, centrally pivoted, and to the stem of the lever are connected the ends of the wires 63, the branches of the said lever being connected to the spring-pressed bolt or latch 93, mounted for reciprocation in a bracket 94:, the end of the bolt projecting into the path of and adapted to engage the bifurcated end of the rockarm 28.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a railway-signal,-the combination, with. a signal-post and a pivoted signal mounted thereon, of a rock-shaft journaled at the side of the post and terminating at its inner end in a bifurcated rock-arm, a guide-bracket secured to the post and engaged by the bifurcation of the arm, a latch pivoted to one side of the bracket and adapted to engage the arm, a tread for depressing the arm, one for releasing the latch, and their connections, and a yielding connection between the rear end of the danger-signal and the arm, substantially as specified.

lIO

2. Inarailway-signal,the combination,with

the signalpost and the signal pivotally mounted thereon, of the rock-shaft and means for operating the same, a rock-arm projectin g from the shaft, a pair of suspension-straps pivoted to the rear end of the signal, and at their lower ends pivotally connected to apair of links, an eyebolt depending from the straps, a spring connected to the eyebolt and to the eye of a lower bolt, a swivel pivoted to the rock-arm, and a turn-buckle connecting the swivel with the lower eyebolt, substantially as specified.

3. In a railway-signal, the combination, with a signal, a rock-shaft, and mechanism between the rock-shaft and signal for operatingthelatter by rotation of the former, of a tread pivoted at the side of the track and provided with a guidepin for engaging a slotted rockarm on the shaft, an alarm-bell mounted in the post, a hammer-shaft journaled at one side of the bell and passing through an opening formed in the post, a rack-bar mounted for reciprocation opposite the opening, and a gear-wheel mou ntcd on the hammer-shaft and engaging the teeth of the rack-bar, substantially as specified.

4. In a railway-signal, the combination, with a rock-shaft having opposite rock-arms, of a signal-post, a pivoted signal and connections between the rear end of the same and the enter one of said arms, a latch for engaging and retaining the said outer arm in a depressed position, a tread and a wire connecting the same with the latch, a central rock arm mounted on the shaft, a bell-crank connected to and actuated by the tread, a latch for locking the bell-crank, and a wire connecting the latch of the bell-crank with the rock-arm, substantially as specified.

5. I11 a railway-signal, the combination, with a post, a danger-signal pivoted thereon, a rock-shaft having a rock-arm, connections between the same and the rear end of the signal, and a latch-spring pressed and adapted for engagement with the rock-arm, of treads arranged at opposite sides of the post, wires connecting the same with the latch, springlatches for locking the treads in a depressed position, opposite rock-arms secured to the rock-shaft, and wires connecting the arms with the opposite latches, and a tread for operating the rock-shaft, substantially as specified.

(3. In a railway-signal, the combination, with the track-railand tie, of an inverted L-shaped or bell-cranked lever, and bearing-brackets for pivotallysupporting the same secured to the tie, said lever being provided with a rearwardly-eurved slot and guide-pin, and a tread having a slot for engaging the guide-pin, and a pin for engaging the curved slot of the bellcrank and extended at its front portion upwardly to form a tread for the wheels of a car, and a spring secured to the tie and to the pin of the tread for returning the tread to a raised position after a depression thereof, substantially as specified.

7. In a tread for railway-signals, the combination, with opposite l'iearings and an inverted L-shaped lever mounted therein, of a tread-plate widened at its front end to form a tread and mounted upon the lever for vertical reciprocation, substantially as specified.

S. In a tread-bar for railway-signalsiand the like, the spring-latch 49 and the leverdfi, having shoulder 47 to be engaged by the latch, the tread 53, having a limited sliding connection with the lever -16 and adapted to be held normally above the plane of the rails, as set forth.

9. In a tread for railway-signals or the like, the spring-actuated bell-crank lever 46, having connection with the signaling mechanism, the tread-plate 53, having a pin-andslot connection with the bell-crank lever, and a catch for engagement with the bell-crank lever when depressed, as set forth.

10. In a tread for railway-signals and the like, the spring-actuated bell-crank lever 46, having shoulder 47, and spring-actuated, as described, the spring-catch $9 to engage the shoulder, the slot 51 in the bell-crank lever, the tread-plate 53, of oblong shape, having pin 52 to engage slot 5], and a slot 54: to be engaged by a pin 55 of the bell-crank lever, as set forth.

11. In a railway-signal, the combination, with the signal, of a rock-shaft connected with the signal to actuate the same, a latch for engaging the rock-shaft to support the signal in its safety position, a tread adapted to be operated by the wheels of a passing train, a spring-catch for engaging the tread when depressed, and connections between the latch of the rock-shaft and the tread, and also between the catch of the tread and the rockshaft, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. RICHARDSON. lVitnesses:

JOHN ROSENBAUM, J. IL'GoLLEHoN. 

